Wireless Battery Charging System

• US 20120194124A1
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Toivola, Timo, Hautala, Juha Oskari
• Application Number:
  US13/017,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20120194124A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention there is at least a method, apparatus, and executable computer program to perform operations including transferring power received at a coil of a wireless charging receiver to a wireless receiver block of the wireless charging receiver, the transferred power being used to provide a charge to a portable device attached to the wireless charging receiver, receiving a signal from the portable device, the signal comprising an indication that the portable device no longer requires the charge, and in response to the signal, automatically opening a connection between the coil and the wireless receiver block to stop the transferring of the power. Further in accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention there is determining at a portable device that a charging current received over a particular type of charging interface from a wireless charging receiver is no longer required, and in response to the determining, the portable device modifying a data transaction signal associated with the particular type of charging interface and sending the modified data transaction signal to the wireless charging receiver to indicate to the wireless charging receiver that the charging current is no longer required.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transferring power received at a coil of a wireless charging receiver to a wireless receiver block of the wireless charging receiver, the transferred power being used to provide a charge to a portable device attached to the wireless charging receiver;

receiving a signal from the portable device, the signal comprising an indication that the portable device no longer requires the charge; and

in response to the signal, automatically opening a connection between the coil and the wireless receiver block to stop the transferring of the power.

2. The method of claim 1, where the wireless charging receiver and the portable device are attached with a universal serial bus charging interface and where the signal is a modified universal serial bus data signal received over a data node of the universal serial bus charging interface.

3. The method of claim 2, where the modified universal serial bus data signal is modified to be a continuous signal received over the data node while the portable device no longer requires the charge.

4. The method of claim 1, where the portable device remains attached to the wireless charging receiver after the transferring of the power from the coil to the wireless receiver block is stopped;

further comprising;

while the portable device remains attached, in response to one of no longer receiving the signal continuously or receiving a charge request type signal from the portable device closing the connection and resuming the transferring of the power from the coil to the wireless receiver block; and

providing the charge to the portable device.

5. The method of claim 1, where the coil is receiving the power from a magnetic field of a charging transmitter and where after the coil is removed from the field the connection between the coil and the wireless receiver block remains open until the coil is returned to the field.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program, executable by at least one processor, to perform the method of claim 1.

7. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, where the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least;

transfer power received at a coil of a wireless charging receiver to a wireless receiver block of the wireless charging receiver, the transferred power being used to charge a portable device attached to the wireless charging receiver;

receive a signal from the portable device, the signal comprising an indication that the portable device no longer requires the charge; and

in response to the signal, automatically open a connection between the coil and the wireless receiver block to stop the transferring of the power.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, where the wireless charging receiver and the portable device are attached with a universal serial bus charging interface and where the signal is a modified universal serial bus data signal received over a data node of the universal serial bus charging interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, where the modified universal serial bus data signal is modified to be a continuous signal received over the data node while the portable device no longer requires the charge.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, where the portable device remains attached to the wireless charging receiver after the transferring of the power from the coil to the wireless receiver block is stopped;

further comprising;

the at least one memory including computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, while the portable device remains attached, to in response to one of no longer receiving the signal continuously or receiving a charge request type signal from the portable device close the connection and resume the transferring of the power from the coil to the wireless receiver block; and

provide the charge to the portable device.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, where the coil is receiving the power from a magnetic field of a charging transmitter and where after the coil is removed from the field the connection between the between the coil and the wireless receiver block remains open until the coil is returned to the field.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising a sleeve designed for the portable device.

13. A method comprising:

determining at a portable device that a charging current received over a particular type of charging interface from a wireless charging receiver is no longer required; and

in response to the determining, the portable device modifying a data transaction signal associated with the particular type of charging interface and sending the modified data transaction signal to the wireless charging receiver to indicate to the wireless charging receiver that the charging current is no longer required.

14. The method of claim 13, where the particular type of charging interface is a universal serial bus charging interface, where the modified data transaction signal is a modified universal serial bus data signal sent via a data node of the universal serial bus charging interface.

15. The method of claim 14, where the modified universal serial bus data signal is a modified to be a continuous signal sent via the data node while the charging current is no longer required.

16. The method of claim 13, where the signal causes the wireless charging receiver to automatically open a connection and stop a transfer of power between a coil and a wireless receiver block of the wireless charging receiver.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program, executable by at least one processor, to perform the method of claim 13.

18. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, where the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to at least;

determine at a portable device that a charging current received over a particular type of charging interface from a wireless charging receiver is no longer required; and

in response to the determining, modify a data transaction signal associated with the particular type of charging interface and send the modified data transaction signal to the wireless charging receiver to indicate to the wireless charging receiver that the charging current is no longer required.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, where the particular type of charging interface is a universal serial bus charging interface, where the modified data transaction signal is a modified universal serial bus data signal sent via a data node of the universal serial bus charging interface.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, where the signal causes the wireless charging receiver to automatically open a connection and stop a transfer of power between a coil and a wireless receiver block of the wireless charging receiver.